π° What Happened
This opinion piece argues that AI threatens more than our writing. It threatens our ability to listen. Writer Shirleene Robinson says Australians are talking less each year.
A study found Australians lost an average of 338 spoken words per day between 2005 and 2019. That adds up to about 120,000 fewer words per person.
π The Backstory
Robinson is an oral historian who led a large oral history collection at the National Library of Australia. She says language is a key part of culture and identity. Listening to people with different views can help our mental and physical health.
π― Why It Matters
As AI chatbots do more talking and answering for us, real conversations can shrink. That can weaken how we understand each other.
This opinion piece argues that AI threatens more than our writing. It threatens our ability to listen. Writer Shirleene Robinson says Australians are talking less each year. A study found Australians lost an average of 338 spoken words per day between 2005 and 2019. That adds up to about 120,000 fewer words per person.
Robinson is an oral historian who led a large oral history collection at the National Library of Australia. She says language is a key part of culture and identity. Listening to people with different views can help our mental and physical health.
As AI chatbots do more talking and answering for us, real conversations can shrink. That can weaken how we understand each other.
π° Source: News Source
theguardian.com β
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